reaction. yesterday the prime minister was in philadelphia where she spoke to congressional republicans at their policy retreat. we will show you as much of that as we can before she and president trump arrive in the white house east room for today's news conference. >> the prime minister, the honorable theresa may. >> nearly every day as we walk to other meetings in the capital, we passed by one of america's greatest friends. in the small rotunda that we call freedom for your, former british high minister winston churchill, and on his statue it reads, in the days to come the british and american people will, for their own safety and

for the good of all walk together side-by-side in majesty, injustice and in peace. prime minister may joins us this afternoon at a time of renewed opportunity for both united states and the united kingdom in continuing to walk side-by-side. her decision to visit america soon after our presidential election and the republican-led government took power as a signal of her commitment to strengthen the special relationship our countries enjoy. it is my honor to welcome america's newest friend from number ten downey street, the first foreign head of state to visit and address our retreat, the honorable theresa may. [applause]

[applause] thank you very much for that fantastic welcome and can i say majority leader mcconnell, mr. speaker, speaker, distinguished members of the senate and representatives of the house, i would like to thank congress and the congressional institute for the invitation to be here today. the opportunity to visit the united states is always special and to be invited to be the first serving head of government to address this important conference is an honor indeed. i defy any person to travel to this great country at any time and not to be inspired by its promise and its example.

for more than two centuries the very idea of america drawn from history and given written form in a small hole not far from here has lit up the world. that idea, that all are created equal and that all are born free has never been surpassed in the long history of political thought. [applause] it is here on the streets and in the halls of this great city of philadelphia that the founding fathers first set it down, that the textbook of freedom was written and that this great nation that grew from sea to shining sea was born. since that day it has been america's destiny to bear the

leadership of the free world and to carry that heavy responsibility on its shoulders. my country, the united kingdom of great britain and northern ireland has been proud to share that burden and to walk alongside you at every stage. [applause] for the past century britain and america, and the unique and special relationship that exists between us has taken the idea conceived by those 56 rank and file ordinary citizens president reagan called them forward.

because we have done so, time and again, it is the relationship between us that has defined the modern world. one hundred years ago this april it was your intervention in the first world war that helped britain, france, our friends in the commonwealth and other allies to maintain freedom in europe. [applause] a little more than 75 years ago you responded to the japanese attack on pearl harbor by joining britain in the second world war and defeating fascism, not just in the pacific but in africa and europe too. later in the aftermath of these wars, our two countries led the west through the cold war, confronting communism and ultimately defeating it, not

just through military might, but by winning the war of ideas and by proving that open liberal democratic societies will always defeat those which are closed, coercive and cruel. the leadership provided by our two countries through the special relationship has done more than win wars and overcome adversity. it made the modern world. the institution upon which that world relies was so often conceived or inspired by our two nations working together. the united nations in need of reform but vital still has its foundation in the special relationship, from the original declaration to the declaration of the united nations signed in

washington and drafted themselves by winston churchill and president franklin d roosevelt. the world bank and international monetary fund were conceived by our two nations working together, and nato, the cornerstone of the west was established on the bonds of trust and mutual interest that exists between us. some of these organizations are in need of reform and renewal to make them relevant to our needs today. we should be proud of the role our two nations working in partnership played in bringing them into being and in bringing peace and prosperity to millions of people as a result. [applause] it is through our actions, over many years working together to

defeat evil or to open up to the world that we have been able to fulfill the promise of those who first spoke of the special nature of the relationship between us. the promise of freedom, liberty and the rights of man. we must never cease, churchill said, to proclaim the great principles of freedom and the rights of man which are the joint inheritance of the english speaking world, and which through magna carta the bill of rights, the habeas corpus, trial by jury and the english common law finds their most famous expression in the declaration of independence. it is my honor and privilege to stand before you today in this great city of philadelphia to be claimed again and to join hands

as we pick up that mane as we pf leadership once more, to renew our special relationship and to recommit ourselves to the responsibility of leadership in the modern world. it is my honor and privilege to do so at this time, as don breaks on a new era of american renewal i speak you not just as prime minister of the united kingdom but as a fellow conservative who believes in the same principle that the agenda of our party, the value of liberty, the dignity of work, the principles of nationhood, family, economic prudence, patriotism and putting power in the hands of the people. principles instilled in me from a young age. principles my parents taught me in southern england where i was raised.

i know it is the principle that you have put at the heart of your plan for government and your victory in these elections, it gives you the opportunity to put them at the heart of your new american renewal tool. president trump's victory, achieved in defiance of all the pendants in the polls, rooted not in the corridors of washington, but in the hopes and aspirations of working men and women across this land. your parties victory in both the congress and the senate, where you sweat all before you, the tears of great effort and achieve with an important message of national renewal. because of this, because of what you have done together, because of that great victory you have one, america can be stronger, greater and more confident in the years ahead. [applause]

a newly emboldened confident america is good for the world. in america that is strong and prosperous at home is a nation that can lead abroad. you cannot and should not do so alone. you have said that it is time for others to step up, and i agree. sovereign countries cannot outsource their security and prosperity to america and they should not undermine the alliances that keep us strong by failing to step up and pay their part. [applause]

and it is why the government i lead would increase spending on defense every year of the parliament. [applause] it is my brain is a leading member alongside the united states. the coalition ãwhy we have agreed to send 800 troops to estonia and poland as part of nato's forward presence in eastern europe. while we are increasing our true contribution to nato's resolute support mission that defends the afghan government from terrorism.

and that is why we are reinforcing our commitment to peacekeeping operations in south sudan and somalia. it is my brain is leading the way and pioneering international efforts to crack down on modern slavery. one of the great ãof our work wherever it is found. and i hope you will ? [applause] i hope you'll join us and that cause in a command the senator in particular for his work in this field and is good to have met him here today. as americans know, the united kingdom is by instinct and history a great global nation that recognizes its responsibilities to the world. as we and our membership with the european union ãwe have the opportunity to reassert our

belief in a confident sovereign and global britain. ready to build relationships with old friends and new allies alike. we will build a new partnership with our friends in europe. we are not turning our back on them. or any interest in the values that we share. it remains overwhelmingly in our interest and in those of the wider world that the eu should succeed. and for as long as we obey members we will continue to play our part. just as we will continue to cooperate on security, foreign policy and trade once we have left. but we have chosen a different future for our country. a future that sees us restore our parliamentary 70 and national determination. and become even more global ? [applause] and become even more global and

internationally in action and spirit. and take back control of things that matter to us. things like our national borders and immigration policy and the way we decide and interpret our own laws. so that we are able to shape a better more prosperous future for the working men and women of britain. a future that sees us stepup with confidence. to a new even more internationalist world where we meet our responsibilities our friends and allies. championing international cooperation and partnership that projects are values around the world. and continue to act as one of the strongest and most forceful advocates for business, free market and free trade anywhere around the globe. this is a vision of a future that my country can unite around. and i hope your country as our closest friends and allies can welcome and support.

so as we rediscover our companies together.as you review the nation as we just review hours, we have the opportunity, indeed the responsibility to renew the special relationships of this new age. we have the opportunity to lead together again. because the world is passing through. change. and in response to that change, we can even be pastor buys or take the opportunity once more to lead and to lead together. i believe it is in our national interest to do so. the world is increasingly marked by instability that rests under manning our lives and the many things that we hold dear. the end of the cold war, did not give rise to a world order,

not the in history, not a new age of peace prosperity and stability in world affairs geared to some, the citizens of central and eastern europe in particular has brought new freedom. across the world ancient ethnic religious and national rivalries, rivalries that have been frozen to the decades of the cold war returns. new enemies of the west and our values in particular in the form of radical islamists have emerged. in countries ãcountries with little democracy liberty and human rights notably china and russia have grown more assertive in world affairs. the rise of the nation economies, china yes but democratic allies like india too. are usually welcome. plans are being lifted out of poverty. and markets and industries are opened up.

with these events coming halfpipe the same time as the financial crisis and its fallout, as well as a lot of confidence in the west following 9/11 and physical interventions in iraq and afghanistan. have led many to fear that in this century we will experience ãof the west. but there is nothing inevitable about that. other countries make lunch from. big populous countries may grow richer. and as they do so they may value our democracy. even if they do not know interest will remain. our values will endure. and the need to defend them and project them will be as important as ever. so we, our two countries did have a responsibility to lead. because when others step up as

we step back. it is bad for america, for britain and for the world. [applause] it is an hour interest those in britain and america together to stand strong together to defend our values interest in the ideas in which we believe. this cannot mean a return to a failed policy of the past. the days of britain and america intervening in sovereign countries and attempt to remake the world in our own image are over. that nor can we afford to pass by when the threat is real and when is in our own interest. we must be strong, smart and hardheaded. and we must demonstrate the resolve necessary to stand up for our interests. and whether it is the security of israel, the middle east or the baltic states in eastern

europe, we must always stand up for our friends and allies in democratic countries that find themselves in tough neighborhoods two. [applause] we each have different political traditions. we sometimes pursue different domestic policies and there may be occasions in which we disagree. but common values and interests bring us together and they are hugely powerful. and as your foremost friend and ally, we support many of the priorities your government plays out with america's engagement with the world. it is why i joined you in your determination to take on and defeat ãand the extremism that

defines them in many other terrorist groups in the world say. it is in both our national interest to do so. this will require us to use the intelligence provided by the finest security agencies in the world and it will require the use of military lines. it also demands a wider effort. because one of the lessons of fighting terrorism in the last 15 years or so is yet killing terrorists and taking innocent lives. but until we kill the idea that drives them, the ideology, we will always have to live with this threat. [applause] as they are defeated on the ground. the terrorists are exploiting the internet and social media. to spread the ideology and preying on vulnerable citizens in our own country.inspiring

them to commit acts of terror in our own cities. that is why the uk has led the world in developing a strategy for preventing violent extremism. and by the british and american governments are working together to take on and defeat the ideology of islamist extremism.i look forward to working with the president and his administration to step up our efforts, still service in order to defeat this evil ideology. >> thank you very much. i am honored to have prime minister theresa may here for our first official visit from a foreign leader.